Gov. signs law establishing Native American Suicide Prevention Advisory Council

Legislation that would create a Native American Suicide Prevention Advisory Council in New Mexico was signed into law Monday by Gov. Susana Martinez.

The 11-member council would assist in developing policies, rules and priorities for the New Mexico Clearinghouse for Native American Suicide Prevention. One of the members would represent the Mescalero Apache Tribe and be appointed by the president of the tribe.

While the New Mexico Department of Health noted the state's suicide rate has been consistently 1.5 to 2 times the national rate, American Indian rates are even higher. The 2011 New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey showed that Native American high school students reported higher rates of seriously considering suicide in the previous 12 months (18.4 percent) compared to Hispanic youth (15.6 percent). They also had a higher rate of self-reported suicide attempts in the past 12 months (10.5 percent) than Hispanics (8.6 percent) and Caucasians (6.4 percent) high school students. Only 36 percent of youth at risk for suicide received treatment for the problem. The Department of Health stated that a lack of access to culturally appropriate and sensitive mental health services outside of Albuquerque continues to be a challenge affecting Native American youth and their families.

In late 2009, three teens, two from Mescalero and one from Ruidoso, died as a result of suicide.

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The Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey, with local results discussed in Ruidoso last month by state and local officials, suggested that students in the area had a slightly higher level of a persistent sadness or hopelessness than on the statewide level. But the 2011 survey also noted high school pupils in the area had a slightly lower incidence of suicidal thoughts, planning and attempts than the overall New Mexico survey results.

"Suicide touches the lives of New Mexicans from all walks of life and all corners of the state," the governor said Monday in signing Senate Bill 447 into law. "This bill will provide important resources and support for New Mexico's Native American citizens as they battle with the problem of suicide in their communities."

The advisory council will go hand-in-hand with the Clearinghouse for Native American Suicide Prevention established in 2011. The goal is to provide culturally appropriate suicide prevention, intervention and post-event assistance to New Mexico Native Americans living with suicide, attempted suicide or the risk of suicide.